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  1. G

    Perfect Rivets

    In my experience I have never seen thick filler or thick paint on a Boeing commercial aircraft. And I've seen a lot of Boeings on the assembly line. Spots of filler here and there on the composite parts, but not much. Any filler ahead of the engine intakes is prohibited. Film thickness of...
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    Aeropoxy 6228

    I never got good results with paste adhesives on metal. If its your only option, I would use Hysol EA934 NA (or its modern equivalent) and add some shims to control the bondline thickness. If you can cure under a vacuun bag it will help control the bondline thickness and evacuate the air in the...
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    Bronze vs. sealed precision bearings for control surface hinges

    Back in 1977 I helped install Oilite bushings on the empennage of a biplane. In the end they looked kloogie. The I.D. and O.D. of the welded steel bushings had to be increased to accommodate the Oilite bushing O.D.. It wasn't alot but it made the hinge assembly look oversize and out of place. I...
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    Perfect Rivets

    I've always used a 4X for most everything with a swivel hose connection. It was the smallest rivet gun in the crib where I was trained. My ***** is with bucking bars. Who ever designed them must never have had to use them. Most common bars hurt my hand. Look at your hand then look at a...
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    Primer on 4130

    Polyfiber EP420/430 is all I use. Consider internal tube coatings as well. Linseed oil etc. Finish weld, bead blast then prime. Lots of people use a top coat over the primer. I will probably use the top coat because I will be on floats and around salt water. Not convinced of its effectiveness...
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    What did you do on your airplane project today?

    Had the tech counselors from EAA chapter 441 out to see my project this past weekend. This was my first experience with the tech counselor program and it was very positive. I learned alot about the program and highly recommend this free service from EAA. Having a highly qualified set of eyes...
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    How to sell my aircraft...?

    Friend of mine sold his plane on Facebook. Got several inquiries. Got no response from TAP or Controller. As far as the rest goes, beware, all the crooks eventually find their way out to the airport.
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    FAA actively recruiting workers who suffer "severe intellectual" disabilities and psychiatric problems

    I once knew a woman that was a vice president of lobby decor. So indeed you can be far from the produce or service, at least in aerospace. We had really nice lobby plants though.
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    Movies with Cool Aircraft Featured

    "Airforce" featured an early B-17, P-39's, dozens of wobbly exploding solid model airplanes and ships. The B-17 flying scenes are majestic in black and white. Best line, "OK boys, we got a job of work to do".
  10. G

    Airplane plans inventory

    Headwind, Pitts Special and Bearhawk Patrol. Building the Patrol, hope to finish with enough time left to build the others. That would be my dream fleet.
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    Rivet Guns

    Sorry, meant tungsten. Thanks for the correction.
  12. G

    Rivet Guns

    I tried a TI bar that an RV builder lent to me. It was small, which could be an advantage if you are setting rivets in a confined location, but overall I could find no advantage over an iron bar to justify buying one. The set rivets looked and measured the same. The effort to set a #3 or a #4...
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    Rivet Guns

    I use a 4x for everything. Got a 2x that I've never used and 3x I've never used much. Ti bars are fancy but a waste of money. My 4x is a Cleco. Learn to use one rivet gun size and stick with it. Don't cheap out, buy a good quality 4x and you can do everything. Bucking bars are about the shape...
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    Ebay Today

    Guess I better quit those piano lessons.
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    Dimpling

    6061 T6 is a weldable alloy. What am I missing? Material too thin?
  16. G

    Why is GA continuing its demise?

    I think a sheet metal aircraft, designed and built to sit outside, with a comfortable single seat, a good heater, fixed tricycle gear and a Corvair or VW power would do. Seems like I've seen that somewhere.
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    Horrible news from Vans Aircraft

    With the Luftwaffe bombing accuracy of less then 50%, no place in England was safe.
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    Best first welded fuselage plane?

    It's not the weldments of a Bearhawk that will frustrate even a experienced builder, it's the wings. Hundreds of detail parts that need to be properly aligned for fastening. Build the weldments and buy the wings. Then you may finish the plane. Bearhawk is popular because of this option...
  19. G

    Horrible news from Vans Aircraft

    Have no skin in the game but I worked at Sikorsky for a while. The company philosophy over its long history has been to do everything in house. Castings, forgings, chemical processing, testing maintainence and repair of the finished product etc all done in house. After the old man died, this...
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    The endless 'what to build' dilema

    Put pictures of the finalists down on a table and let your wife decide. You never will. That's what I did, she picked a good one.
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